Surf City, El Salvador – South Africa’s surfers produced a spirited showing at the 2025 ISA World Surfing Games, held from 5–14 September at the world-renowned breaks of La Bocana and El Sunzal. In a field of nearly 300 athletes from 61 countries, Team SA secured 13th place overall, an achievement made all the more remarkable given the circumstances of their campaign.
A Team of Newcomers on Debut
South Africa’s six-strong squad featured five debutants, with only minimal international experience between them. Despite this, they competed with determination and pride against the sport’s traditional powerhouses, many of whom arrived weeks in advance with full support teams of coaches, physios, managers and nutritionists.
By contrast, the South Africans travelled at their own expense, arriving just four days before competition due to financial constraints. Yet, they carried the national flag with distinction.
The team was composed of:
- Luc Lepront (18, Scottburgh, KZN) – Men’s Open
- Louise Lepront (17, Scottburgh, KZN) – Women’s Open
- Thomas Lindhorst (24, East London) – Men’s Open
- Jesse van Niekerk (23, Cape Town) – Women’s Open
- Avuyile Ndamase (31, Port St Johns / Eastern Cape) – Men’s Open
- Natasha van Greunen (26, Cape Town) – Women’s Open
Results against the World’s Best
Competing against 145 surfers in the men’s draw and 113 in the women’s, South Africa’s surfers stood their ground:
- Luc Lepront – 37th (Men’s)
- Thomas Lindhorst – 49th (Men’s)
- Avuyile Ndamase – 61st (Men’s)
- Natasha van Greunen – 25th (Women’s)
- Louise Lepront – 41st (Women’s)
- Jesse van Niekerk – 57th (Women’s)
Collectively, these results earned 1,560 points, placing South Africa 13th overall, a strong finish for a youthful and self-funded team.
World Champions and Icons in the Line-Up
The Games drew a star-studded field, including 22 Olympians and multiple ISA world champions. Among them were Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons, a four-time gold medallist, Argentina’s Leandro Usuna, a two-time champion, and Australia’s Dane Henry, the reigning Under-18 world champion, who went on to clinch the men’s title.
Team Australia claimed the overall team gold, with Peru and Spain completing the podium.
Symbolism and Global Growth
Beyond the competition, the event highlighted surfing’s expanding global footprint. At the Sands of the World Ceremony, nations poured sand from their home beaches into a collective vessel – a symbolic gesture of unity. Notably, Angola and Vanuatu participated for the first time, raising their flags alongside long-standing surfing nations.
Since making its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, surfing has continued to inspire new generations, with the ISA reporting 194 national federations, 18,000 certified instructors, and a growing para-surfing movement.
A Proud Showing for South Africa
Despite arriving with fewer resources and less preparation than most teams, Team SA’s surfers left El Salvador with heads held high. Their performances underscored the talent and resilience within South African surfing, hinting at even greater potential should further support and investment be directed toward the sport.
As the waves of La Bocana and El Sunzal settled, South Africa’s surfers proved that even against the deepest and most experienced fields in the world, they can compete – and inspire.
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